DCE asks parents to invest in education not kraals
Mr Clement Akugre, Bongo District Chief Executive, in the Upper East Region has advised parents not to keep kraals at the expense of the education of their children.
He asked them to sell some of their livestock, which is a local symbol of wealth, to be able to invest in the education of their children, which he said was the best legacy to bequeath to them.
Mr Akugre said there were many instances when some parents kept large
kraals and refused to sell the livestock to take care of their children in school.
“There is more to gain in selling some of your animals to take care of your children’s education since after schooling they could buy more of such animals for you and to take proper care of you when you are old,” he stressed.
The DCE gave the advice during the annual Azembane Festival, celebrated by the chiefs and people of Bongo.
It was on the theme: “Culture Re-awakened to Promote Education, Sustainable Environment and Afforestation.”
“While Government, the District Assembly and indeed the District Directorate of Education are playing their roles to promote education, it is my expectation that parents would also play their complementary roles effectively for the holistic progress in the sector.”
He said government had introduced a number of pro-poor intervention programmes including the Northern Rural Growth Programme, Youth in Agriculture Programme, Livelihoods Empowerment Programme, the National School Feeding Programme, Free School Uniforms and National Youth and Employment Programme, aimed at alleviating poverty and promoting education.
Mr Akugre said the assembly had invested 70 per cent of its resources on educational development ranging from construction and furnishing of schools, provision of teachers’ quarters and sponsorship of needy students.
He said this year the assembly had spent GH¢32,400 to support 324 needy teacher trainees, tertiary and senior high school students to further their
education.
The assembly also assisted 97 persons with various forms of disabilities in special schools while 66 student nurses were offered a total of GH¢6,600.
The DCE said the Youth in Agriculture Programme had engaged about 255 farmers in the District who were cultivating various crops including Soya beans and rice.
He appealed to the youth in the area to avail themselves of the programme instead of running to southern Ghana in search of menial jobs.
Mr Akugre assured the chiefs and people that the Bongo-Bolgatanga road has been re-awarded for construction.
The Paramount Chief, Baba Salifu Aleemyarum appealed to the district assembly to construct more feeder roads in the area to ease movements of people and goods.
Source: GNA